With an Open Heart and a Bottle of Bacardi: Onboarding Kits of Forward-Thinking Companies

Everyone loves free stuff. Companies use this element of human nature in a constant battle for talent, greeting their new hires on their first day with open arms and a welcome kit. It’s a corporate tradition that gives new employees a sense of the vibe at their new place of employment while also making the employee feel special.

We surveyed companies from different areas of the country and parts of the world to create our list of the most impressive onboarding kits.

1.FanDuel

FanDuel newbies feel the care and warmth of their company from their first day — they get two hoodies, and a MacBook with other Apple stuff is also a winner. Notepads and other office supplies are in onboarding kits as well. The new employee will also find something interesting at their desk — toy sport balls. But it is not just fun and games: they connect employees with the very product of the company. FanDuel, a daily fantasy sports company, specializes in contests — including NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL leagues.

2.CactusSoft

HR Directors know CactusSoft as an international organization that provides the services required to build, adjust, and improve HR or business processes in a company. Its new hires find at their desk a T-shirt, a white sweater, a baseball cap, stationery, a couple of notepads, a mug, and, of course, a real cactus! “Besides this, our company developed a mobile app called WISP for quick onboarding and engagement. So, it helps our new hires to acclimate more easily,” says Vera Reshetina, CEO of CactusSoft.

3.Uber

Uber gives its new hires the usual hoody and baseball cap, plus a black Uber mug, notepad, stationery, and other nice, branded stuff. An employee can pack everything into a corporate tote bag, also provided on the first day.

They send their new drivers a pretty cool care package as well. The first thing inside it is an Uber Driver Guide. Plus, employees get an iPhone and a small welcome card next to it. Finally, the package includes a small accessory kit.

4.Ferrero

On their first day at Ferrero, a world-known chocolate producer and confectionery company, every new hire gets a welcome letter, a notepad, and a ball-point pen. And a whole box of… guess what?

5.PepsiCo

One more tasty welcome kit on the list. The company hands new employees a T-shirt, a branded mug, and a basket full of chips and beverages. But don’t worry about extra kilos — new hires get a fitness band as well.

6.Randstad

Randstad’s office in NYC, one of the most recognized recruitment agencies in the world, provides an inspiring work desk with a view to a kill. A nice pile of swag goes along with it.

What kind of swag are we talking about? An umbrella, sun glasses, a mug and a thermo mug, a shaker, a funny foam finger, stationary, a docking station, a T-shirt, and a baseball cap. All the stuff for a new hire’s comfort is nicely placed on their desk.

7.Facebook

The onboarding kit for Facebook is a simple, cool-looking, and powerful branding vision, and a way of making their team happy and helping them feel welcomed into the family. It includes a stylish T-shirt and a Moleskin notebook.

8.Social chain

This internet-breaking social media agency is welcoming employees with open arms and a bottle of Bacardi. Besides this, it gives out a hoodie, a social media bible, and some stationary.

“Yesterday, was my first day working in the Social Chain office. Greeted by Kiera, the Head of Happiness, I was talked through what to expect on my first day and introduced to the team and given a tour of the office. The office has a slide, a ball-pit, puppies running around, free breakfast, a white room (with waterfalls), a beanbag room, sleep pods, a basketball hoop, and a (normally) fully stocked bar. The bar had been drunk dry at the Halloween party,” Sean Brown, Head of Talent at Social Chain, said as he described his first day.

9.IBM

IBM takes its onboarding process seriously and hands new employees a real survival welcome kit. It includes a backpack, a thermo mug, a mug, a shaker, a couple of T-shirts, a baseball cap, a USB flash drive, a notebook, and numerous pens.

10.eBay

Freebies from eBay include a notebook, a shaker, a relaxing toy soccer ball, a corporate tote bag, stationary, and a welcome letter.